Every year at this time, I grapple with the decision of what holiday treat to give my neighbors. The first year we were married—you know, when I was young, ambitious, and naïve—I made a loaf of our favorite zucchini bread for every neighbor. About ten hours into the process and pounds of zucchini later, my holiday spirit was sucked dry and the joyful Christmas carols I had been singing were replaced by depressing 80s pop songs (think “Everybody Hurts” by REM). It was a scene straight out of The Grinch. My heart was at least four sizes too small.
The candy cane-striped lining of this dark snow cloud was that I learned that it is truly the thought that counts. Plus, simplicity is key. Every year since then, I have sought out recipes that take little time and effort, and do not cost a fortune to make. That is where these treats by marathea come in. Drenched in rich caramel and a layer of chocolate, these Graham Cracker Cookie Bars come together in a flash, and are filled with all the flavors of the holidays. I am happy to report that my heart grew five sizes once I tasted these.
In the recipe posted on Tasty Kitchen, marathea tops these treats with slivered almonds. I decided to experiment with candy cane pieces as well. Really, the possibilities are endless. You could try hazelnuts, pistachios, pretzel bits (for that salty-sweet combo), or even dried fruit. Whatever you try, I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a 11- by 15-inch cookie sheet with graham crackers. There will be a little bit of space left at the end of the pan. That space will later be filled with runaway caramel, which you can peel off and eat in privacy. Or is that just me?
In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine brown sugar and butter.
Melt, stirring constantly, and bring to a gentle boil. Turn the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. If bubbles are not coming to the surface, increase the heat slightly.
Oh yeah, now that’s what holiday baking is all about.
Pour the mixture over the graham crackers. Be careful—this is hot caramel and, believe me, pouring it on any part of your skin will ruin your holiday spirit faster than you can say, “Humbug.”
Spread the mixture evenly over the graham crackers.
Bake for 7 minutes. Don’t worry if the mixture is bubbling up while baking. That just means you are developing a richer caramel flavor. That is all good.
While the graham crackers are baking, put 4 mini candy canes in a small resealable plastic bag and smash with a mallet or rolling pin. Get out all of that aggression so you can avoid the holiday road rage later. Your family will thank you.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over the hot caramel and let sit for 1 minute to allow the chocolate chips to melt slightly.
Using an offset or rubber spatula, spread the soft chocolate chips over the caramel layer.
Sprinkle nuts or candy canes over the chocolate. Or you could do half and half. Or you could sprinkle pretzels over top. The possibilities are endless.
Place the cookie sheet in the fridge and cool for about 20 minutes. If the cookie sheet is still hot, place it on a rack in the fridge. Break into pieces and serve or store in an airtight container.
Thank you to margaretha for this wonderful holiday treat.
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Description
Super easy, super yummy bars. Perfect to wrap up in a cellophane bundle and hand out as little treats. Great with a cup of coffee. And so quick to make.
Ingredients
- 1 package (10 To 12 Pieces In A Package) Graham Crackers
- 2 sticks Butter
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Chocolate Chips
- ½ cups Slivered Or Sliced Almonds
Preparation Instructions
Line an 11×15 inch cookie sheet with whole crackers. It will fill up pretty much the whole space. Use as many whole crackers as you need to fill the space.
Mix butter and brown sugar in a pan to boil. Stir for 5 minutes while boiling on low.
Spread the butter/sugar mixture over the crackers and bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts when it comes out of the oven. Cool for 10-20 minutes in the fridge.
Break into pieces.
Alternative: After sprinkling with chocolate chips, let the chocolate melt for a minute, then spread it out over the caramel, then sprinkle the nuts. This is what I did on the ones photographed.
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Dara Michalski is a doll and a sweetheart who clearly knows her way around the kitchen. She blogs at Cookin’ Canuck, where she shares her flavor-packed recipes and fun, engaging writing. The photography’s pretty incredible, too.
63 Comments
Comments are closed for this recipe.
Millie on 1.11.2011
When you make this can you use parchment paper on the bottom?
THANKS!
newenglandgardener on 12.30.2010
I make these with saltines also, and white sugar. I will have to try them with brown.
Pan sticking problems: line your pan with aluminum foil and grease ( I use the butter left on the butter wrappers). Cool a couple of hours or over night, then you can lift the whole thing out of the pan and peel the foil off and then “crack” the cookies.
Kristie on 12.29.2010
I made this twice over the Christmas holiday was a huge hit!! I used parchment paper and had no problems with my pan. Will keep this in my Christmas file for next year!!!
Rachel on 12.27.2010
Made these for Christmas, and they were a bit hit at a lot of Christmas parties. I topped them with candied walnuts, which were very delicious.
Nancy on 12.26.2010
I made these a few days ago. Absolutely fabulous! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Carol Cline on 12.26.2010
I made these and used chopped pecans on top. Very good!
Deanna on 12.26.2010
I started making these again this year and got rave reviews! I used saltines and pretzel pieces or walnuts. To make your life easier, line your jelly roll pan with the release free aluminum foil. Really quick clean-up!
tricia d on 12.24.2010
I made this quick & easy recipe last night for a last minute gift. Very fun and yummy! Thank you for the recipe.
Camille S. on 12.23.2010
I tried this today, but the “carmel” was really watery and just turned my crackers to mush. Help!! What do I do? It sounded so easy, but it just made a mushy, sticky mess. What can I do next batch?
Randie K on 12.23.2010
Delicious…but might I suggest non-stick something as part of the recipe? It was slightly adhered…:)
Jen on 12.23.2010
I’ve made several different kinds of Christmas Crack…and another version uses the large Chez-It crackers….seems weird, but it’s very good.
Patrice on 12.23.2010
Oh my gosh, someone else calls these cookies Crack? Too funny! Yep these are crowd favorites. We prefer the graham cracker base. I line the pan with parchment paper or tin foil to make getting them out easier. But even with that I find they pull off easier if I put them in the frig or even 10 min in the freezer. One topping I experimented with last year was a sprinkle of sea salt. I got fancy pink sea salt for them this year. YUM!
daydreamerdesserts on 12.23.2010
I’ve seen a couple of recipes using saltines, I must say graham cracker is also sayin’ something.
Happy Holidays!
cookincanuck on 12.22.2010
carried & julip1882 – I didn’t have this problem with mine, but I know how frustrating something like that can be! Next time, try lining the baking sheet with parchment paper. That should be a hassle-free solution. I hope that works for you!
julip1882 on 12.22.2010
Carried – I am having the exact same problem! My pan is a stuck mess and there won’t be getting any of this out to make nice pieces to put on a plate of cookies.
I am thinking that I might have to throw the whole pan away. I have zero tolerance for messes like this!
TwinMomJulie on 12.22.2010
Yum…on my way to the market!
Heather on 12.22.2010
These are so awesome!! Addicting! Also good with saltines instead of graham crackers- a little salt with the sweet.
carried on 12.22.2010
Ummm, I made this, and it is delicious, but sticking to my pan. . .did anyone else run into this problem?? Looks like this whole pan is for me! Should I have greased the pan first?
librarygirl62 on 12.22.2010
I make this every year with saltines. This year I am doing chocolate and chocolate/peanut butter. Maybe I need to do marshmallow, too Stacy…that sounds incredible!!!!!!
DLG in Mich on 12.22.2010
The recipe looks awesome, but I’m drooling over the countertops. Are they cement or some sort of stone?
Carissa is Pretty/Hungry on 12.22.2010
Oh my goodness… it looks much easier than I expected! All these other toffee-looking recipes have gotten me intimidated. And I LOVE the idea of doing it with saltines!
http://prettyhungrygirl.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/sour-cream-cupcakes-with-raspberry-filling-and-white-chocolate-lemon-buttercream/
Stacy Rausch on 12.22.2010
I made something similar to this last year, but we put marshmallows on top and put it back in the oven to brown the marshmallows a bit. so freaking good.
Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef on 12.22.2010
oooh sounds fab!! i bet this could be delicious with different kinds of chocolate or candies…
Kristin on 12.22.2010
I make it with saltines. . .we call it “cracker whores” because of the addictive element. I think I need to cut out of work early, go get some crackers and make this NOW.
Dianne Sanders on 12.22.2010
Thanks for the recipe- I love easy and delicious.
Marilyn Yarbrough on 12.22.2010
This weekend: Enjoying the company of family, eating, enjoying the company of friends, eating, enjoying giving gifts that I shopped hard for, eating, contemplating resolutions, eating, That should do it!
Still on the Honeymoon on 12.22.2010
My husband and I will enjoy the appetizer feast at my parents with my siblings. Christmas Eve night we have a church service. Christmas day we will have the traditional turkey and fixings with my husbands family.
Joy on 12.22.2010
I make a similar cookie using saltines as the base. My kids’ friends start asking them in November if I’m making them again this year. They are a favorite with everybody.
I love the idea of using candy canes as a topping. I wonder how different the graham cracker base would be. I’ll have to experiment a bit. Thanks.
Christina in MN on 12.22.2010
Yum!
To me anything with a graham cracker base has to be delicious.
Erin R. on 12.21.2010
This looks like a twist of my Christmas Crack that I made, only I use the saltines like everyone on here has said! I’m going to try this recipe too though!
Robyn O. on 12.21.2010
Thanks for posting this today. I was just thinking of this recipe and was about to go searching for it and here it is! I can’t wait to taste it again!
dawnalee on 12.21.2010
This got me thinking this morning. . .always dangerous mawhahah! Did two batches. One with saltines, brown sugar, butterscotch chips and toasted slivered almonds & sea salt. One with grahams, white sugar, white chips and topped with lots of lime zest and toasted coconut.
The plan is to share. . .good thing my neighbors’ doors are out in the hall, otherwise with all the snow the batches probably wouldn’t last til daylight.
kelly mochel on 12.21.2010
I just made this…YUM! My suggestion would be to slightly press the almond slices into the chocolate. Even though I sprinkled them on right away, because they are so lightweight they easily flake off now that it is cooled. The candy canes stuck fine. This is going into my annual Christmas offerings basket for sure!
erin childs on 12.21.2010
The absolute best topping on earth is crushed Heath bars! Trust me!
Liz on 12.21.2010
I make this for passover with matzoh crackers. Its simply amazing… the candy canes are an ingenious idea!
Kat on 12.21.2010
In my kitchen this is called CRACK, because of it’s habit forming qualities! It make with saltines or matzah crackers, for a great salty/sweet combo. Great sprinkled with some good sea salt as well!
Sally K on 12.21.2010
I have a friend that makes these but with saltine crackers instead of graham crackers, and they are incredible! Totally perfect salty sweet, crunchy treat.
Leighann on 12.21.2010
I foresee a stop @ the grocery store on the way home to get some saltines. This looks fab. I also think I’ll be lining my pan with foil……. way easier when they are done then.
Lindsey @ Enjoying Healthy Foods on 12.21.2010
WOW… Those look AMAZING!!! I will be making these bad boys tonight!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!! and Merry Christmas Tasty Kitchen!
MOV on 12.21.2010
Yum! (Also, I am digging the spatula with the little bumble bees on it, very cute).
Always an inspiration.
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http://mothersofbrothersblog.blogspot.com
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MOV
Amy on 12.21.2010
I am excited to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing.I
laura @ alittlebarefoot on 12.21.2010
i am another one who makes this with saltines. love the sweet-salty combo! graham crackers sound great, too!
Amyhb on 12.21.2010
I use basically the same recipe and make S’Mores and they are out of this world, after you cook the graham crackers covered in caramel you cover them with broken up hershey bars and little marshmallows – set it back in for a few minutes until the marshmallows brown a little. Then let cool. Heaven. So easy. So good.
cookincanuck on 12.21.2010
Thanks for everyone’s comments. I will definitely try the saltines next time too for that salty-sweet combination I love so much. Or I might stick with the graham crackers and sprinkle a little sea salt over top.
Thanks again to marathea for this easy, “crack-like” recipe.
Krista on 12.21.2010
I make these every year – we call it Christmas Crack too LOL!
The real name of the recipe I use is Breton Brittle as it calls for Breton crackers as the base. But Ummm… the graham cracker idea sounds perfect!
rebekah2322 on 12.21.2010
i make this with saltines and i don’t top it with anything. its incredibly simply and sooo yummy! it makes a TON and is great for gift giving!
Pattycake on 12.21.2010
OK- I think I just drooled on my keyboard. I’m making these tonight!
Michelle on 12.21.2010
This is a perfect last minute gift to add to my repertoire!
Thanks – as always!
Amy | She Wears Many Hats on 12.21.2010
YUMMY! So simple for such great looking results.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert on 12.21.2010
Totally beautiful. Simple and delicious, what more could we want? Merry Christmas!